An Answer to “Can a person be a committed Christian while ignoring apologetics?”

“Can a person be a committed Christian while ignoring apologetics?” Such was the question of the day in the April 26^th post of the same title on the Wintery Knight blog. You can read his post here. I definitely recommend it. He relays a situation that many of us probably find familiar: Eve, a “committed” Christian, happens to overhear a conversation of coworkers who are talking about how science (as presented on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and in books like The DaVinci Code) “proves” that God does not exist. However Eve chooses not to enter the debate. The implication is that the story is a parable that the author finds true of many people in the church.

He posits that given the fact that since such “science” can be easily debunked or shown not to prove their position; and since these co-workers are obviously not Christians and therefore in danger of eternal damnation, Eve (if she really is a committed Christian) should be more than motivated to enter this debate. Yet, she does not.

Wintery Knight further describes Eve saying that she “thinks she is a Christian. She has attended church since childhood, her husband is a church elder and she sings in the church choir. She reads the Bible and prays every night, because it helps her to get sleepy before bed. She gives lots of money to the poor. She teaches Sunday school to very small children.  She has even read all of the Narnia novels five times! She even has a calendar filled with nature scenes and itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny Bible verses posted on her office wall at work!” All good things. Yet I agree that this (admittedly somewhat sarcastic) description of Eve does not contain anything in it that clearly indicates the presence of saving grace in her life. You might well conclude that Eve is religious, but nothing more.

The proposed litmus test to determine whether or not Eve is a committed Christian is her willingness to engage in a defense of God and her faith in light of the conversation of her co-workers. The phrase “committed Christian,” I assume is synonymous for “authentic Christian” or “healthy Christian.” If I am correct in that assumption, then I have a real problem with this test: because the possession of knowledge, be it theological, scientific, philosophical, or whatever other kind of knowledge there might be of that sort, is never in Scripture asserted as a sure sign of authentic grace or of a healthy Christian. I submit that even if Eve had stormed over and laid her co-workers out in the lilies by dropping an apologetic “daisy-cutter” on them, it does no more prove her being a committed Christian than remaining silent does. All it proves is that Eve can debate. That’s it. Consider the following:

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV) The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”

Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

James 2:19 (NIV) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

The force of these passages argue against any qualitative difference between the religious life Eve has as well as the interest of and active participation in apologetics. Going to church, teaching Sunday school, reading your Bible, giving to the poor, and apologetics are all what I would call “false positives.” They are all things we would want to see in the life of a healthy Christian, but they can all be done by people who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them. They don’t prove one way or the other a person to be a committed, authentic, or healthy Christian.

That said, why might committed Christians who are versed in apologetics, choose not to engage people in a similar scenario? Let me give some reasons why I have chosen not to do so at times.

1. When people are arguing for argument’s sake and not really open to hearing another point of view. 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) says, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. I am ready and willing to do so with anyone who asks. But this verse is not an open invitation to join in on every argument we come across. If people are not asking, I am not going to waste my time. As Jesus said, Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:6, NIV). I don’t know of one person who was argued into the kingdom of God by being mentally pinned by an offensive or defensive apologetic argument.
2. It may not be the proper time or place for having such a discussion. The second half of 1 Peter 3:15 says, But do this with gentleness and respect. It may be better to take them aside and not have this talk in front of other people.
3. I know that God’s honor does not hinge on my coming to His defense apologetically. God is quite capable of taking care of Himself. I don’t think Jesus felt any guilt in not answering every question His accusers leveled at Him. He did not correct the crowds yelling “crucify him!” Rather we are told in Matthew 5:16 (NIV) In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Conducting ourselves in the truth and responding to others in grace constantly and consistently before people is the most powerful and potent apologetic.

And there I shall rest.